Arch support for shoes



May 5, 1925.

J. STROOTMAN ARCH SUPPORT FOR SHOES Filed July 12, 1924 lrt varzzar; W fW Warrveg J.

Patented May 5, 1925.

' umrso :STATES To all whom it may concern:

PATENT orncsy JOHN s'rnoorrm'nis, or immune, NEW YORK.

ARGH surrorur FOR snons.

Application fllqfiuly 12, 1924. Serial No. 725,535.

Be it known that 1,.JOHN S'rkoo'rMAN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Arch Supports for; Shoes,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an arch support for shoes which is separate from the shoe, so that it can be readily inserted and removed.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a su port of this character which is flexible an automatically adjustable to a high or a low heel shoe or to a high or a low archfoot.

A further object is to provide an arch support having a rigid brace which, while possessing the necessary strength and stiffness, is comparativelylight.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure -1 is a longitudinal section of a shoe containing the im roved arch support. Figure 2 is a bottom p anview of the archsupport. Figure 3 is a transverse section in line 3'3, Fig. 2.-

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The improved arch sup ort comprises a relatively soft, flexible cus iion 10, of wool, felt or similar material and a rigid brace 11 secured to the underside of the cushion.

The cushion 10 rests u on the insole 12 of.

the shoe and its outline ollows the heel and shank portions ofthe shoe, while its upper side is concave and its lower side is shaped to conform generally to the insole 12. The cushion pre erablyfrom the counter of the shoe forwardlyjtoi a point short of where the ball of the foot" rests, but, if desired, the cushion may be provided with an insole or facing layer 13' of felt or other suitableflexible materialextending forwardly some distance be 0nd 5 T the cuehion, but not clear to the toe o the or. ta red towardtheir front ends. The facing is glued or otherwise fastened to the cushion.

a com aratively short' strip shoe. As shown, thefront portions of the cushion and its facing are gradually thinned The rigid brace 11 preferably. consists of I of metal arrange centrally andlengthwise of the cushion with its ends terminating short of the sumin action of 11 per side of the e f extend ion, sai

heel and ball portions of the shoe-insole.

The brace is curved longitudinally to fit the underside of the cushion and is secured thereto at or near the transverse middle portion of the brace, so as to leave its end portions free and disconnected from the cushion, as shown. To render the brace strong across its attached middle portion and yet minimize its wei ht, it is preferably provided with laterall y-extending ears or. enlargements 14 for the passage of fastening rivets 15 which pass through the adjusting itself to afoot with a high, low

or medium arch or to a shoe with a h1gh,low

or medium heel, the detached ends of the brace permitting the contiguous ortions of the cushion to slide or play on t em in asamore or lessarched form.

Whi e permitting. this self-adjusting t e cushion, the rigid brace sustains the fallen arch bones and holds' them I 'up in place, givin comfort to the wearer.

At the same time, t e braced cushion, which is preferably about three-ei hth's' ofan inch th1ck,-rais'es the footand raws itback in the shoe, affording, by snuglacing, about 1 one shoe-size more room in length. and width for thetoes; and practically relieving them from allgpressure and discomfort.

-Whilerforming these functions," the cushion a so acts as a shoe filler or fitter, serving to fill and fit the shoe when loose or large at the heel ,or-instep of the foot.

The device adds comparatively xlittle 1. A self-adjusting arch support, com

jwe' ght to the shoe and can .be r y prising a cushion conforming to the heel and shank portions -of a shoe, and a rigid brace applied to the underside of the cushrace consisting of acomparatively short strip extending lengthwise of the cushion and terminating short of the heel and ball portions of the shoe, the brace bein 'secured'to the cushion intermediate the en of the brace and said ends brace applied to the underside of the cush-,

ion, said brace consisting of a comparatively short strip extending lengthwise of the cushion and terminating short of the heel and ball portions of the shoe, the brace being provided centrally with perforated later-v ally-projecting ears, and fastenings passing through said ears for securing the brace to the cushion, the end portions of the brace being disconnected from the cushion.

3. A self-adjusting arch support, comprising a cushion conforming to the heel and shankportions of a shoe, and a rigid brace applied to the underside of the cushion, said brace consisting of a comparatively short strip, extending lengthwise of the cushion and terminating short of the heel and ball portions of the shoe, the brace being secured centrally to the cushion by rivets passing through said parts, the ends of-the brace being disconnected from the cushion, and a facing secured to the upper side of the cushion and covering the heads of said rivets.

JOHN I STRO OTMAN. 

